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European Edition
26th August 2026
 
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THE HOT STORY

Workers jeer VW chief

Volkswagen's labour unions are opposing proposed job cuts that could affect up to 50,000 workers. Over 10,000 employees protested at the company's headquarters in Wolfsburg, some jeering Oliver Blume, the carmaker's chief executive, as he called on employees to "pull together" behind the company's restructuring. Blume also said that no decision had yet been taken on factory closures, which he called the "last and most expensive resort." Outside, workers waved banners bearing slogans such as "Our jobs are not your balance sheet adjustments" and "Respect is not up for negotiation." Volkswagen labour leader Daniela Cavallo said German factories were "an integral part" of the group. "Our trust in this company's executive board, and especially in Oliver Blume, has been damaged. Not yet beyond repair, but damaged nonetheless," she said. Rival turnaround proposals have been drawn up by labour representatives, which they intend to introduce at a supervisory board meeting next week.
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LEGAL

UK business secretary defends zero-hours reforms

UK business secretary Jonathan Reynolds has defended proposed reforms to zero-hours contracts. "The policy is about the person on zero hours getting the right to a contract that reflects what they regularly work," he said. "So, if you're regularly working a number of hours . . . presumably the contract that reflects those hours is not higher cost to the business." However, he acknowledged potential "monitoring costs" for employers. The reforms would require companies to guarantee a minimum number of hours and provide notice for shift changes. An official impact statement has estimated costs could reach £3bn annually, with the retail and hospitality sectors being most affected.

Saints and Stars fined over staffing Amsterdam gym chain

Saints and Stars has been fined more than €300,000 by the Dutch labour authority after inspectors found staff working without proper contracts, payroll records and identity checks. The penalties cover breaches of working-time registration, payslip rules and employment documentation across multiple sites, affecting workers at the company's gyms in Amsterdam. The inspection was carried out by the Netherlands Labour Authority, which enforces basic employment law obligations.

Deutsche banker charged with embezzling €600,000 from wealthy clients

An unnamed former Deutsche Bank private banker is facing up to ten years in prison after admitting to embezzling more than €600,000 from wealthy clients.
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RISK

Another drone found at Leipzig airport

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has warned that those responsible for drone attacks and other hostile acts against Germany, including an explosive device found on a drone at Leipzig Airport earlier this month, would "pay a price." He said the incident showed Germany was "facing a very real threat" and was increasingly becoming a target. "We have problems, some of which stem from outside the country, and which we must not ignore," Merz said. "Attackers are increasingly ruthless, accepting even severe property damage, and even injuries and fatalities." Leipzig airport plays a key role in the transport of military goods, including by the German military and NATO allies, and also serves as a base for Ukraine's Antonov Airlines.
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TECHNOLOGY

ACE Robotics predicts ‘ChatGPT moment’ for humanoid robots

Humanoid robot intelligence could experience a ChatGPT-style breakthrough by late 2027, according to ACE Robotics chairman Wang Xiaogang, although widespread commercial adoption may take another four to five years. Progress depends heavily on world models and larger collections of real-world training data, currently a major industry bottleneck. ACE aims to gather tens of millions of training hours and deploy its technology in 1,000 stores within a year, rising to 10,000 within two years. The Chinese startup has raised more than $100m and plans an IPO when regulations permit.
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INTERNATIONAL

Fortescue suspends executive amid sexual harassment claims

Fortescue, Australia's third-largest miner, has suspended an unnamed executive over sexual harassment allegations, and engaged law firm MinterEllison to conduct an independent investigation into the matter. "As the investigation has progressed, Fortescue has continued to ​take external legal and governance advice," the miner said. "It has been decided that the employee who is the subject ​of the allegations will not undertake any work for Fortescue while the investigation ​continues." Fortescue is already facing a class action lawsuit filed last month that alleges it failed to protect female workers from sexual harassment and discrimination at its mine sites.

Trump administration issues new $103K fee proposal for H-1B visas

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a new proposed rule for H-1B visas that would charge a $103,265 fee for all skilled workers seeking to gain employment in the U.S. The plans were announced months after a federal judge voided the administration’s previous attempt to require a $100,000 application fee. The DHS said the two charges rely on different legal authority and cover different petitions. “The proposed H‑1B fee is intended to recover the costs incurred across the federal government to adjudicate, vet, and support lawful immigration programs that otherwise must be funded by taxpayers,” U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesperson Zach Kahler said.

Hyundai Motor and union reach preliminary wage deal

Hyundai Motor and its union have reached a tentative wage deal following the most prolonged worker walkout in a decade. The agreement includes a 100,000 won ($72) increase in monthly base pay and a performance bonus equivalent to 400% of monthly salary plus 12.7 million won. The retirement age will be extended from the ​current 60 upon amendment of a relevant law.

Israel imports record foreign workforce to replace Palestinians

Israel now has 250,000 legal and illegal foreign workers, the highest number ever, according to Israel Population and Immigration Authority data. The figures show that 26.5% of all current legal and illegal foreign workers are from Thailand, 21.7% from India, 11.8% from China, 11.2% from Sri Lanka, 9.5% from the Philippines, 8.9% from Uzbekistan, 4.4% from Moldova, and 1.7% from Nepal. The surge follows the closure of borders to Palestinian workers after October 7, 2023. The government plans to increase this number to 330,000, but housing remains a significant challenge. Many foreign workers face overcrowded and inadequate living conditions. Yoki Moshonov, CEO of Ovedly, a company that provides services to foreign workers in Israel, observed: "Here they get five or six times the average salary than in their countries of origin. They come to Israel for just one purpose - to earn money for their families. They send 80% of their salary to their families . . . and are regarded as excellent workers."
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OTHER

Norway 'will drill in Arctic regardless of EU'

Norway will continue to develop its oil and gas resources in the Barents Sea, despite the European Union's support for a moratorium on Arctic drilling, Energy Minister Terje Aasland has said. "In ⁠today's geopolitical and security ⁠environment, and given the resource situation, I believe continued activity in the Barents Sea serves both ​Norwegian and European interests," Aasland told Reuters ahead of ONS, Norway's biannual energy conference, which began in Stavanger on Monday. The European Union currently supports a ban on new drilling in the Arctic on environmental grounds, but is weighing a revision of its policy amid concerns about energy security.
 
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